2010.12.15 Parks Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for November 15, 2010 Page 5 of 10 Discussion on Prop.osed Parks Ordinance Re ulatin Public Conduct This item was tabled at the last Council meeting due to lack of time. At their October l0, 2010 meeting, the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission made a recommendation to change the Public Conduct in Parks Ordinance. The Parks Commission has had discussion on park rules at multiple meetings. The Parks Commission identified three rules to make into an ordinance, enforceable by law: motorized vehicle use on park property, reservation of picnic shelters, and fires. Also in the recommendation are revisions to the definitions and special permit section of the existing ordinance. Parks Planner Shayla Syverson presented the recommendation for changes to the Public Conduct in Parks Ordinance, and the Council discussed the definitions of active and passive parks, leashing of dogs in active parks, enforceability to include the violation of the ordinance to be a petty misdemeanor, and signage at the parks. Haas made motion, Weidt seconded, to adopt ORDINANCE 2010-448 AMENDING CHAPTER 54, ARTICLE I1, PUBLIC CONDUCT WITHIN PARKS and directing the Planning Commission to hold a public hearing on updates to the Parks, Trails, and Open Space section of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. All Ayes. Motion carried. Discussion on Proposed Tobacco Use/Smoking Policy This item was tabled at the last Council meeting due to lack of time. At their October 10, 2010 meeting, the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission heard a presentation from the program director for Tobacco Free Youth Recreation. The Commission made a recommendation to the City Council to ask direction on a possible smoke-free or tobacco -free policy which would include the entire property of all active and passive parks in the Hugo park system. Parks Planner Shayla Syverson explained the Parks Commission generally agreed there should be a policy and it should be effective in all Hugo parks; however, there was no consensus on whether it should be just smoking or if it should include all tobacco products. (Mayor Fran Miron arrived at 8:20 p.m.) Parks and RecreationCommission Chair Jim Taylor was present and stated his opinion that all parks should be tobacco free, and the Council discussed whether it needed to be addressed at this time and whether government needed to be regulating life style choices by ordinance. Also discussed was allowing tobacco at events that require a Special Event Permit such as the Hugo Lions Good Neighbor Days. Haas made motion, Weidt seconded, to support the policy prohibiting the use of tobacco in parks. Haas made motion, Klein seconded, to table discussion to allow the Parks Commission to further consider the policy and provide a recommendation to the Council. All Ayes. Motion carried.